Archery bow



United States Patent Office 2,836,165 Patented May 27, 1958 ARCHERY'BOW Fred B. .Bear, Grayling, Mich., assignor to Bear Archery Company, Grayling, .MiClL, a corporation of Michigan Application August 13, 1956, Serial No.'603,591

Claims. (Cl. 124-23) In archery bows it is customary to provide loops on the ends of the bow string and to fitthe'loops over the ends of the bow with the loops seating in transverse grooves in the bow. With such construction the first loop often slips oif whileattempting'to engage the otherloop over the other end-of the bow. 'Moreover it is difiicult to open up the second loopandhook it over the end of the bow, particularl-y in-bracingsfiong bows. Also it is difficult todisengagethe-first loop in unbrac-ing 'abow.

Objects of the present invention are to overcome the aforesaid difiiculties, to facilitate bracing and unbracing,

to simplify the construction and reduce the cost of manufacture, to allow free action between the bow and string and to keep the string in more accurate alignment with the bow.

According to the present invention the string has a head on at least one end and preferably both ends, the bow having a recess near the end to receive the head, and a groove leading from the recess toward the othe' end of the bow along the rear side of the bow (commonly called the face) to receive the string when the how is braced, the groove being narrower than the head so that the head cannot pull out through the groove, the recess having an outlet larger than the head through which the head may be removed from the recess to unbrace the bow when the tension on the string is relieved. At the rear of the recess is a slot extending from the aforesaid groove to one or both sides of the how. The aforesaid outlet may be at the rear or the side of the bow. When at the rear the aforesaid slot wider than the head to permit the head to be removed through the slot when tension on the string is relieved. When the outlet is at one side the aforesaid slot is preferably narrower than. the head so that the head may be removed from the recess only by lateral movement after tension on the string has been relieved. In the preferred construction the recess and the slot extend all the way across the bow from side to side. While the head may be spherical or any other desired shape, it preferably has a cylindrical or other elongate shape, in which case the string is fast to the central portion of the head.

In a more specific aspect the bow has elongate elastic stretchable means with one end attached to the head and the other end attached to the bow and extending from the head toward the adjacent end of the bow in alignment with the aforesaid groove to maintain the string taut when the bow is unbraced. Preferably the elastic means extends through a groove in the end of the bow and thence along the front side of the bow (commonly called the back) to the point where the other end is anchored to the how. To reduce friction a pulley may be mounted in the groove in the end of the bow.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bow;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of one end of the bow on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and '5 are views like Figs. 2 and 3 showinga modification; and

Figs. 6 and 7 .are similar views showing another modification.

While the present invention is applicable to bows of many types it is illustrated as applied to a bow of the type shownin Fig. 1 in which the bow is indicated at 1 andthe string at 2. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the rear face of the bow is provided with a recess '3 extending transversely from side to side. Extending from the center of this recess toward the opposite end of the bow is a groove t to accommodate the string when the bow is raced. Seated in the recess 3 is an elongate cylindrical head 6 to the center of whichthe string 2 is attached. Extendingfrom the recess?) to the rear face of the bow is .a slot 7 which is wide enough to permit the head 6 to be removed therethrough when tension on the string .2 is relieved in unbracingathe .bow. As shown in Fig. 3 the slot 7 slopes upwardly toward the rear face of the bow so that there is no tendency .of the head 6 to slip out of therecess when the bow is braced.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the end of the bow is .providedavithsa .groove .8 and. inthe groove is. pivotally mounted a pulley .9. Anelastic cord 11 extends over the pulley with one end fastened to the center of the head 6 and the other end fastened to the front of the bow at 12. A tubular guard 13 may be disposed over the lower end of the cord.

T o unbrace the how it is flexed in the usual way after which the head 6 may be removed from the recess 3 through the slot 7. Then when the bow is permitted to straighten again the head slides down the rear face of the bow to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. This increases the tension in the elastic cord 11 to hold the string taut while the bow is unbraced.

The modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in that it comprises a bow 21, a string 22, a recess 23, a groove 24, a head 26 fitting in the recess and a slot 27 leading from the recess to the rear face of the bow. However it differs in that the slot 27 is narrower than the head 26 so that the head can be removed from the recess only by sliding it lengthwise to one end of the recess after the bow has been flexed and the spring has been lifted out of groove 24.

The modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is like that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in that it comprises a how 31, a string 32, a recess 33, a groove 34, a head 36 and a slot 37. However it differs from the preceding embodiment in that the head 36 is ball-shaped instead of cylindrical. In this connection it will be understood that the head 6 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may also have 'a spherical or any other desired shape. It will also be understood that the heads on both ends of the bow may be cylindrical, spherical or other desired shape and that the shapes at the opposite ends of the bow may difier, as for example by making one cylindrical and the other spherical.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An archery bow characterized in that the string has a head on one end which is wider than the string, the bow has a recess in one end to receive the head and a groove leading from the recess toward the other end of the bow along the face of the bow to receive the string when the bow is braced, the groove being narrower than the head so that the head cannot pull out through the groove when the bow is braced, the recess having an outlet larger than the head through which the head may be removed from the recess to unbrace the bow when tension on the string is relieved, and elongate elastic means having one end attached to saidhe'ad and the'other end attached to the bow and extending from the head toward the adjacent end of the bow in alignment with said groove and thence over a guide at the end of the bow along the back of the bow to maintain, the string when the bow is braced, the groove being narrower than the head so that the head cannot'pull out through the "groove when the bow is braced,- the recess having, an

outlet larger than the head through which the head may be removed from the recess to unbrace the bow when tension on the string is relieved, and elongate elastic means having one end attached to said head and the other end attached to the bow and extending from the head toward the adjacent end of the bow in alignment with said groove and thence over a pulley at the end of the bow along the back of the bow to maintain the string taut when the bow is unbraced. t

3. An archery bow according to claim 1 further characterized in that the head is elongate transversely of the how.

4. An archery bow according to claim 1 further characterized in that the head comprises a ball.

" "essence c to 5. An archery bow characterized in that the string has a" head on one end which is'wider than'the string, the bow has a recess in one end to receive the head and a groove leading from the recess toward the other end of the bow along the rear side of the bow to receive the string when the bow is braced, the groove being narrower than the head so that the head, cannot pull out through the groove when the bow'is braced and the, recess having an outlet larger than the head through which the head may 'beremoved from the recess to unbrace the bow, when tension on the string is relieved, and an elongate elastic stretchable means having one endattached to said head and the other end attached to the bow and extending from the head toward the adjacent end of the bow in alignment with said groove to maintain the string taut when the bow is unbraced.

7 References Cited in the file of this patent K UNITED'STATES PATENTS 

